Great season comes to an end for Lions

(Above) Quarterback Jaylen DeVries is given some time to make a pass as he’s well protected by Jaden O’Brien-Green (3), Ty Fischer (59) and Carson Krefft (53).  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

By Michelle Watson

The Clear Lake Lions saw their chance to make a run for the Class 2A State Championship come to an end on a cold and blustery Friday night at Lions Field. The Williamsburg Raiders took an early lead and never looked back in a 35-21 victory.

“Everyone wants to win a championship, but everything these guys learned on this journey will last their entire lives,” said Head Coach Jared DeVries.  “I’m really, really proud of them.”

The second ranked Lions showed their speed on their first possession, as Jaden O’Brien-Green opened with a 21-yard run.  The Lions, who are usually successful on fourth down attempts, gave it a shot on fourth and six, but a Jaylen DeVries pass was incomplete and the Lions gave up the ball on downs.

Williamsburg’s attempt to get on their scoreboard first was shut down when an interception by Kody Kearns put the ball back in Clear Lake’s hands.  The Lions couldn’t take advantage of the play and had to punt.  This time the Raiders marched the ball down the field.  A face mask penalty against the Lions gave Williamsburg the ball on the 14-yard line.  The Raiders scored and the PAT was good for a 7-0 lead.

On their next possession, the Raiders traveled 54-yards in four plays and scored another touchdown to take a 14-0 first quarter lead.

The Lions responded by moving the ball down the field, but on fourth down and two at the eight-yard line, an incomplete pass to O’Brien-Green forced them to turn the ball over on downs once again.

With time running out in the second quarter, the Clear Lake defense stopped the Raiders on fourth and 11 with 1:45 remaining in the half and Clear Lake went to work to try to score before intermission.

DeVries and Kearns worked their magic to gain some yards in the air, before DeVries started running it himself on third and fourth downs. DeVries kept the ball and ran to the five-yard line for a first down.  On first and goal, DeVries again carried the ball and this time found the end zone to pull to within seven before the half, 14-7.

The second half opened with a big debate on the field.  Mitchell Raber recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff and it seemed like the Lions were in business to tie the score.  However, the referees called kick catch interference and the play was overturned. Just as quickly as the Lions had grabbed momentum, it was gone.

The Lions had a hard time finding an answer for Wetjen, who scored two more touchdowns on the next two possessions.  The first on a 28-yard run, then on a 66-yard punt return.  This was the first time since the 2000 State Championship game that the Lions were scored on during a return.  Wetjen finished with 212-yards on 34 carries in the game.

Clear Lake had a hard time sustaining a drive and struggled to get the offense rolling in the second half.  Meanwhile, Williamsburg went to work and picked up 41-yards on six plays, before scoring on a 24-yard pass to make the score 35-7 early in the fourth quarter.

“The thing I am most proud of is that the kids never quit,” said Coach DeVries.

On the next possession, Clear Lake again tried their fourth down luck.  This time it payed off, as DeVries broke a tackle and ran for a 28-yard TD.  The Lions attempted a two point conversion on a DeVries pass to P.J. Feurbach.  The pass was complete, but was called back on an ineligible receiver down field penalty.  The Lions took the penalty and connected on a field goal, 35-14.

Following a four-and-out by Williamsburg, DeVries and his receivers went to work and quickly moved the ball down the field.  At the 23-yard line, DeVries threw his second interception of the night, giving the Raiders the ball at the 20-yard line.  Williamsburg couldn’t move the ball and punted, giving the Lions the ball at the 43-yard line.  DeVries connected on two passes to Carson Toebe, taking the team to the 10-yard line.  Another pass, this one to Jagger Schmidt, put the Lions in the end zone, 35-21.

Clear Lake’s second onside kick by Hunter Nielsen worked to perfection and Thomas Gansen recovered the ball for the Lions at the Williamsburg 49-yard line with 1:12 to go.  DeVries slipped a tackle and gained 22-yards, but that’s where it ended for the Lions.  Wetjen picked off a DeVries pass with :28 on the clock.  The Raiders took a knee and captured the 35-21 victory.

DeVries finished the game with 217-yards on 22/46 passing and was the teams’ leading rusher with 113-yards on 15 carries.  Kearns was his top receiver with eight catches for 101-yards.  O’Brien-Green carried the ball 13 times for 46-yards.

Austin Larson led the team on defense with eight tackles, two for a loss.  Jack Barragy recorded

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six tackles, one for a loss, while Gansen had four tackles.  Ty Fisher recorded a sack.

“It was an unbelievable season with a lot of lessons learned,” said Coach DeVries.  “The kids learned to deal with adversity and are better equipped to deal with it, thanks to the game of football.  The outcome is not always what we want, but we learn from it.”

The Raiders, 8-3 and ranked 10th in the polls, will face top rated Waukon in the semi-finals at the UNI Dome on Saturday, Nov. 16.

“Williamsburg is a great football team and Wetjen is a special talent.  We wish them the best in the Dome,” added DeVries.

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